Clock



y 1950 B. LERMAN 2,507,026

CLOCK Filed Aug. 26, 1948 INVENTOR. Ben Lermara Patented May 9, 1950 CLOCK Ben Lei-man, Chicago, Ill., assignor to Mastercrafters Clock &

Radio Company, a corporation of Illinois Chicago, 111.,

Application August 26, 1948, Serial No. 46,250

\ 6 Claims.

The invention relates to improvements in clocks and more particularly to an electrically driven clock embodying a novel swing action movement effective to actuate an ornamental pendulum in a vertical plane perpendicular to the plane of the clock face.

Known prior art devices having swing action movements relate to spring wound types wherein pendulum movement is in the plane of the clock face or, if perpendicular thereto, embody a conventional escape type mechanism. Such an arrangement in perpendicular pendulum movements adds materially to the cost of manufacture and further afiords means whereby the clock mechanism can be retarded should an obstruction lie in the path of the pendulum. Also, in prior known devices of this character, the swinging pendulum is intimately associated with the clock' mechanism. In the present disclosure the pendulum is connected with a swing action movement.

actuable by engagement with a continuously rotatable but wholly independent drive means. It is, therefore, an object of the invention to provide a clock with a swing action movement embodying such a structure.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel swing action movement. 7

Another object of the invention is to provide a novelly constructed ornamental device for a clock.

Another object is to provide a device of the character described which does not materially add to the cost of manufacture of the clock, and which is very attractive and entertaining, as well as positive in operation.

Other and further objects of the present invention will be apparent from the following description and claims, and are illustrated in the accompanying drawing which, by way of illustration, shows an exemplary embodiment and the principle thereof. Dther embodiments of the invention embodying the same principles may be used, and structural changes may be made as desired by those skilled in the art without departing from the present invention and the purview of the appended claims.

In the drawing:

Fig. i. is a front elevational view of a clock embodying the features of the invention.

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of the clock mechanism and swing action device.

Fig. 3 is a front elevational view of the clock mechanism, partly broken away, taken substantially along the line 8-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a vertical sectionalview of the swing relationship in the usual manner 2 action mechanism taken substantially along the line 44 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a horizontal swing action mechanism of Fig. 3.

Referring to the drawing, the features of the present invention are illustrated as being embodied in a clock, generally indicated at l l, which includes a face or dial l2 and hands l3, the latter being mounted on an axis H.

The case for the clock I l includes a base l5 and spaced apart uprights l6 defining, with said base, a centrally located opening I 1 within which is suspended a pendulum or swing action device generally indicated at H3. The pendulum is adapted to swing back and forth in a. vertical sectional view of the taken on the line 5-5 plane perpendicular to the clock face.

On referring to Fig. 2 of the drawing, the clock mechanism provided for operating the shafts carrying the hands l3 includes an electric motor l9 having a worm shaft 2| extending out of its housing and projecting into the space between the clock mechanism housing plates 22. These plates are firmly secured together in spaced as by means of spacers, nuts and bolts 23 and may be substantially triangular in shape, as illustrated in Fig. 3. The worm shaft 2| is in constant mesh with a pinion 24 carried on a stud shaft 25 journalled in one of the housing plates 22. The shaft 25 also carries a worm 26 that meshes with one of the usual intermeshed gears and pinions constituting the conventional time train operable to rotate the hands l3 about their axis H.

The worm shaft 2| is utilized to provide motivating power for actuating the pendulum l8. To this end, suitable swing action mechanism, generally indicated at 21, is suspended from the clock mechanism housing 22 and includes a substantially vertically disposed shaft 28 having a pinion 29 secured firmly on its upper end to mesh constantly with the worm shaft 2|.

The swing action mechanism also includes spaced apart plates 3i and 3 la suitably formed on their upper ends to engage around two of the spacers 23 of the clock mechanism housing to afford means for firmly securing the swing action mechanism in piece. The lower end of shaft 28 is journalled in and extends through a iip 32 struck inwardly from the plate em adjacent its lower end. The downwardly projecting end of said shaft carries firmiy thereon an eccentric which may be in the form of a toothed element 33.

Means is provided on the lower end of the plate tie for suspending the pendulum it freely where- 3 by said pendulum may swing back and forth during operation of the clock motor. Accordingly,

I a bearing bracket 34 is fixedly secured to the portions are elongated downwardly (Fig. 2) so as to provide depending pieces 39.

In the present disclosure the intermediate portion of the rocker 31 has its upper marginal edge lying in close proximity to the toothed element 33 so that, upon rotation of shaft 28, the rocker 31 is oscillatably rotated. Clearance for the teeth on the toothed element 83 is provided in this instance by cutting away a portion of the upper margin of the rocker 31, as at 4|. This construction allows the rocker to return to its initial position following each successive contact by a tooth.

The pendulum generally indicated at l8 preferably is formed from wire stock bent substantially U-shaped to define a bight portion 42 and parallel leg portions 43. The upper extremities of the leg portions are turned outwardly in opposite directions, as at 44, and these outwardlyturned portions are extended through holes 45 in the depending pieces 39 so as to provide an articulate connection between the pendulum and the rocker 81.

It should be quite evident at this time that the weight of the pendulum I8 together with the weight of any object supported thereon, such as the figurine 46 illustrated, is sufllcient to return the rocker 31 into a substantially vertical toothed element contacting position each time said rocker is moved out of a vertical plane by reason of such toothed element. The construction is exceedingly simple and owing to the articulate connection between the pendulum and the power source, the pendulum is free swinging and can at no time retard operation of the power source. If desired, the pendulum may be removed upon disengaging the end portions 44 from the holes 45.

Although an exemplary form of the invention has been disclosed in the accompanying drawin and described in detail hereinabove, it should be understood that the invention is capable of embodying a wide variety of modifications in detail structure and that pendulum structures other than that shown may be associated with the swing action mechanism without departing from the invention and the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a clock mechanism having a face, in combination, a motor including a gear, a shaft having a pinion meshed with said gear for rotating the shaft during motor operation, an element including spaced radial protuberances carried on and rotatable with said shaft, an elongated rocker pivoted at its longitudinal ends for rock ing movement on a horizontal axis, said rocker coacting with the protuberances soas to be rocked in one direction during the shaft rotation and to be rocked in the other direction by gravity during the interval between its contact with said protuberances, and a U-shaped pendulum suspended from said rocker, said pendulum carrying a figurine and being movable in a plane perpendicular to the clock face when the rocker is rocked.

2. In combination with a clock mechanism having a housing, a frame depending from said housing, horizontally aligned ears on the lower end of said frame, a rocker plate extending between and pivoted at its ends to said cars, a yoke having its free ends freely journalled in said rocker plate, an object mounted on the bight portion of said yoke, and means including a substantially vertically mounted shaft operable by the clock mechanism operatively associated with the rocker to impart rocking movement thereto to swing the yoke.

3. In a clock, a case, a frame, a synchronous motor carried by said frame, a time train driven by the said synchronous motor, a dial in said case, said case having an opening in its front wall below said dial, a shaft having its axis substantially parallel to the plane of the dial carried by said frame and connected for driving movement with said train, an eccentric mounted on said shaft for rotation therewith, a rocker mounted on a horizontal axis actuated by said eccentric whereby rotary movement of the eccentric will impart a rocking movement to said rocker, a suspended figure projecting below said dial and showing in the opening, and means connecting said rocker to said figure whereby said suspended figure will be caused to swing forwardly and backwardly within said opening.

4. In a clock, a case, a frame, a synchronous motor carried by said frame, a time train including a shaft driven by the said synchronous motor, a dial in said case, said case having an opening in its front wall below said dial, a substantially vertical shaft carried by said frame and connected to the first named shaft for having rotary movement imparted thereto, the lower portion of said vertical shaft extending to a point adjacent the upper edge of said opening, an eccentric carried by said shaft adjacent its lower end, a rocker mounted on a horizontal axis and positioned for engageable contact with said eccentric,

a suspended figure mounted on a horizontal axis disposed below said dial and showing in the said opening, said figure and its suspension means presenting the appearance of a figure swinging in a vertically suspended swing, and means whereby the rocking movement of said rocker is imparted to the swinging figure to cause said figure to swing forwardly and backwardly with respect to said opening.

5. In a clock, a case, a dial in said case, a clock movement in said case, a shaft driven by said movement, an element having one or more radial protuberances carried on and rotatable with said shaft, an elongated rocker pivoted for rocking movement on a horizontal axis, said rocker coacting with the element so as to be rocked in one direction during shaft rotation and-to be rocked in the other direction by gravity during the interval between its contact with said element, and

a pendulum suspended from said rocker, said pendulum being mounted for movement in a plane perpendicular to the dial when the rocker is rocked.

6. In a clock, a case, a frame, a synchronous motor carried by said frame, a time train driven by the said synchronous motor, a dial in said case, said case having an opening in its front wall below said dial, a shaft having its axis substantially parallel to the plane of the dial carried by said frame and connected with said motor 5 for driving movement, an eccentric mounted on said shaft for rotation therewith, a rocker mounted on a horizontal axis actuated by said eccentric whereby rotary movement of the eccentric will impart a rocking movement to said rocker, and a figure projecting below said dial and showing in the opening suspended from said rocker, whereby said figure will be caused to swing forwardly and backwardly within said opening while the clock is running.

BEN LERMAN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

6 UNITED STATES PATENTS Number 15 Number Name Date Kroeber Dec. 5, 1876 Drawbaugh Aug. 9, 1887 Junghans Apr. 24, 1888 Davies Apr. 2, 1889 Junghans Apr. 16, 1889 Davies Aug. 13, 1889 Van Osdel May 7, 1935 Lux Sept. 15, 1936 Mason Mar. 26, 1940 Loew Aug. 4, 1932 FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date Switzerland Feb. 20, 1904 

